MTSU baseball got embarrassed on Friday afternoon, being run-ruled 13-3, but today was an opportunity to get a win and tie the series up. The Blue Raiders got five good innings from its ace Drew Horn, but a lack of run support sent the game into the 10th inning, where they’d lose on a walk-off homer, 5-4.
The Blue Raiders couldn't find any offensive success as they went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, including a pair of strikeouts, but it would bring Horn up to the mound. He gave up a one-out single, then beamed Nick Barone with a pitch but forced a flyout to right field, ending the inning and stranding a pair of runners on base.
Both offenses went stagnant for an inning, but Horn got into some trouble in the bottom of the third when he allowed a leadoff single to Tanner Marsh. However, he would catch Marsh lacking and picked him off between first and second base. The Blue Raider pitcher allowed two base runners to reach after a throwing error from Clay Badylak at third base and a six-pitch walk with two outs. But he would get out of the jam with a flyout of Michael Gibson to end the frame after a phenomenal start from both hurlers.
Through three innings, Horn allowed four base runners with four strikeouts, while Ben Blair had tossed a perfect game with five strikeouts of his own as we headed to the fourth tied 0-0.
Liberty made Horn work in the fourth inning with consecutive one-out walks to put a pair of runners on base. Cal Early, who had a 5-for-5 day on Friday, was able to advance a runner to third with a deep fly out at the warning track in left field.
Marsh came back to the plate looking to pick up his third hit of the ballgame and drive a run in. After a back-and-forth affair, Horn got the Liberty batter to pop up in foul territory to end the inning, the fourth consecutive inning that the Flames stranded a runner in scoring position.
In the fifth, Brett Vondohlen laced a ball through the infield for the first Blue Raider hit of the day before Kenny McKinley launched a two-run bomb over the left field wall to break the scoreless tie. His long ball measured in at over 440 feet and was the second home run from McKinley in as many days.
The Blue Raiders threatened again an inning later when Brett Rogers singled to center field before Tyler Minnick got on base due to a fielding error. Vondohlen came to the dish and battled with Blair but walked on the payoff pitch to load the bases with Badylak due up. The at-bat was short as the third baseman struck out on four pitches, ending an opportunity to tack on more before heading to the bottom of the inning.
Horn’s fantastic day would end as Jerry Meyers called Colin Kerrigan out of the bullpen to replace the right-hander who had thrown 100 pitches. Horn pitched five scoreless innings with three hits allowed, four walks, and five strikeouts.
Kerrigan did a nice job of neutralizing the Liberty bats as he went 1-2-3 on 10 pitches to send the ball game to the seventh inning.
That success would not carry over to the next inning, as back-to-back singles and a walk would load the bases with no outs. Barone delivered with a ground-rule double to tie things up, then Camden Troyer singled up the middle to drive in another two runs to give the Flames the lead. Kerrigan would finally get out of the inning, but a 2-0 MTSU lead had been turned on its head as Liberty led 4-2 heading into the eighth.
Kerrigan surrendered a leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth but rebounded with three consecutive outs to strand a runner and give MTSU one last chance to tie or take the lead.
Vondohlen got Middle Tennessee started with a leadoff double before being driven in by Badylak, who smacked a two-bagger of his own. McKinley grounded out but advanced Badylak to third base, just 90 feet from home plate.
Keaton Ray launched a ball to deep left field that was caught, but it was enough to allow the runner to stroll home and tie the game at four apiece. Matt Wolfe ended the frame with a flyout, but the Blue Raiders had tied things up.
Kerrigan forced a groundout to begin the bottom of the ninth but would then be pulled for Ollie Akens. The right-handed pitcher issued a one-out walk but got consecutive outs to send this game into the 10th inning.
The MTSU bats went 1-2-3 in the top of the 10th, giving Liberty a chance to walk it off. Seth Christmas ended things quickly as he took Akens deep on the fourth pitch of the frame to lock up a 5-4 victory over Middle Tennessee and secure its first CUSA win of the season.
Middle Tennessee will return to the diamond tomorrow for the series finale against the Liberty Flames. First pitch is at 12:05 from Worthington Field; Chandler Alderman is the likely starting pitcher for the Blue Raiders.
